Recent reports indicate that as much as 80% of the adult population in the United States suffers from lower back pain to some degree or another. Typically, these symptoms are relieved with strong, pain-killing medications which must be used continuously and are often associated with adverse side effects. In an effort to minimize the use of medication and avoid these side effects, therapeutic pads have been developed for providing both hot and cold circulation therapy to a patient suffering from lower back pain. Such devices have also been valuable in reducing the post-operative pain and recovery time of patients following surgery. Although this invention is suitable for post-surgical treatments, such as those employed following laminectomy or discectomy procedures, the primary target is for the treatment of lower back pain of musculo-skeletal or mechanical origin.
One prior art device that alleges usefulness in treating the lower back is provided by Adams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,943. Adams discloses a flexible bag equipped with a closed circulation system for providing a therapeutic flow of water at the site of lower back pain. The Adams' system contains a rather bulky pump and storage tank which must be carried along side the patient's bed while the patient is immobilized in a prone position.
Another device disclosed in the EBI Trade Literature entitled "EBI Breaks the Ice" for its TEMPTEK T-1000 CCT Cold Therapy Device (June, 1992), provides post surgical treatment to patients recovering from major spinal surgery. Although treatments with this device are reported to reduce the use of narcotics and sedatives when compared with treatments not employing cold therapy, their use requires the patient to be physically located in close proximity to the pump and temperature control unit and tethered thereto by a rather conspicuous connecting hose.
Despite these advances, there appears to be a need for a therapeutic pad which does not overly restrict the comfort and mobility of a patient during its use. There is also a need for a therapeutic pad which provides a controlled circulation of either a hot or cold fluid medium at any preselected body location.